Car loading device



Sept. 28, 1937. s. M. NAMPA 2,094,407

CAR LOADING DEVICE Filed Nov. 28, 1934 l l /0) l NKWWYRKWK /T f y M IN V EN TOR.

Patented Sept. 28, 1937 UNITED STATES I 2,094,407V Y CAR LOADING DEVICE 'Y Sulo M. Nampa, Detroit, Mich., assignor to The Worth Company, a corporation of Michigan Application November 28, 1934, Serial No. 755,077

5 Claims.

This invention relates to car loading devices, and more especially to devices for anchoring a vehicle, such as an automobile, during transportation, to a freight car or equivalent carrier i5 means.

lIn certain respects, the invention relates to a copending application of Samuel D. Butterworth, lfor car loading device, Serial No. 606,602, filed April 2l, 1932, and assigned to the same assignee jas is the present application. 'I

f Among the objects of the invention are: to provide improved means for securing a vehicle to a freight car, or the like; to provide securing or anchoring means of the above character which readily may be adjusted to take up slack and to exert a tensile force when attached to a vehicle; to provide an improved arrangement and construction of housing well for such anchoring device and disposed below the floor of the freight car, or equivalent carrier means, for housing the anchoring means when not in use for the purpose of securing a vehicle in position, the well or housing having suicient clearance from trucks, air cylinders, accessories, and the like, arranged below the floor of the freight car or carrier means; to provide an anchoring means which embodies vcushioning and adjusting means and which provides effective guide means for preventing buckling or misalignment of the cushioning means; and to provide anchoring means which requires little space, involves small expense to manufacture and install, which is rugged and efcient in preventing undesired movement of the anchored vehicle with respect to the freight car, or the like, and which is not readily disassembled so that the likelihood of pilferage or loss of anchoring units or parts thereof is reduced.

For the purpose of illustrating the genus of the invention, typical concrete embodiments are f .40, shown in the accompanying drawing, in which:

v Fig. 1 is a longitudinal and horizontal section of a part of a freight car provided with vehicle anchoring devices constructedvaccording to one form of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross section, on Van enlarged scale, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section taken substantiallyk on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Y Y Fig. 4 is an exploded View of parts shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Y Fig. 5 is a top planof a modified form of well f or housing Ameans which may be employed for the reception of the anchoring means when not inuse and for holding one end thereof when the .55 latter is in working position.

Referring to the drawing, and more especially to Figs. 1 and 2, the numeral |0 indicates the floor of a freight car or equivalent carrier means, and the numeral I| the side walls thereof. As indicated in Fig. 2, a structural metal beam I2 is arranged adjacent and below the floor I0. The beam I2 forms an integral part of or may be rigidly attached to the frame of the freight car or equivalent carrier means. In a freight car, the beam |2 may form one of the I-beams of a 4 central longitudinally arranged box girder of the car frame. The beam I2 may be a channel or I-section and includes an upper ange I3 and a lower :ange I4 connected by web I5.

The floor I0 is provided at longitudinally spaced points, as indicated in Fig. 1, with pairs of circular openings I6 and I1, the opening I6 being located at one side of the beam I2 and the opening I1 adjacent one side of a corresponding portion of another beam member. In the particu- 'lar arrangement shown, four pairs of such openings are employed to a car, two pairs in each longitudinal half of the car or carrier means, it being understood that any desired number of pairs may be provided as desired. A housing Well 20 of generally cylindrical form is arranged within each of the openings I6 and |'I and adjacent a beam I2 or similar part integral with or fixed to the frame of the freight car or the like.

The housing wells 20 are rigidly fastened to the beams I2, or their equivalent, by means of strap elements 2| extending around the housing well and being welded thereto and to the flanges I3 and I4, as indicated at 22. The bottoms of the wells 20 are closed by bar or disc member 23 welded to the housing well as indicated at 24.

An annular collar 25 is rigidly secured to the upper end of the housing well 20, as by being welded thereto as indicated at 26, the collar being provided with a laterally or radially extending lug 2l on which are provided the ears 30 to which a hinged lid 3| is pvotally connected through the rintermediary links 32. The laterally projecting 'lug 2T will also serve as a stop for limiting downward movement of the well in positioning the same adjacent the beam member I2 when welding the stop element 2| to the housing Well and to the flanges l5 and I4 of the beam member.

A suitable recess is cut in the flooring end for the reception of the laterally projecting lug 21,

the recess extending to a position in the floor I0 so that when the hinge lid 3| is in closed position,

the top surface of the lid 3| lies substantially fiush with the upper surface of the flooring I0. Each well 2D houses a reciprocatory anchoring through the eye portion of such bolt and suitable Y apertures provided in the ears 35. 'Y

The eye bolt 36 forms one element of `an adjustable, resilient connection extending between suitable vehicle engaging means and the anchoring element 33. This adjustable, resilient connection may be in the form of the construction shown in the co-pending application of Leo I. Friedlaender, Serial No. 580,380, led December 11, 1931, but preferably includes a pair of U- shaped frames 45 and 4|, a second eye bolt 42 and a resilient element in the form of a coil spring 43. Referring more particularly to Figs. 2, 3, and 4, it will be noted that each oi' the U-shaped frames 4|] or 4| includes leg portions 44 and a bearing portion 45 connecting such leg portions and provided With a threaded aperture 4l into which the eye bolt elements 35 or 42 are threaded. The eye bolts are provided With right and left hand threads, respectively, so as to effect the desired adjustment of the resilient connection. This connection is assembled by threading the eye bolts 36 and 42 through the apertures 4l of frame members 45 and il and then peaning over the ends of the threaded portion of the eye bolts so as vto effect a permanent assembly of one of the eye bolts to each of the frame members. A pair of disc or washer elements 53, of theform shown in Fig. 9, each being diametrically enlarged and provided with a notch l at each side thereof, are assembled Within the legs 44 of the frame elements 4B and 4| and the resilient element 43 placed within one of the frame elements. The legs 44 of the other frame element are thenspread slightly so that this frame may be slid endwise over the sprin 43 and the legs of both frames are then spread slightly until inturned ends 52 at the free ends of the leg portion-s of each frame may be slipped over the washer 53 with the leg portions 44 extending through the notches 5| in said disc or washer elements. The ends 52 of each frame member are then welded to one of the washers 5|? at points at 90 degrees from the notches 5| to complete the adjustable, resilient connection. lt will be noted that with the frame assembled as indicated in Fig. 2, the leg portions 44 of frames 4t and 4| iit comparatively closely to the outside periphery of the spring 43 so as to prevent buckling of the spring during extension of the resilient, adjustable connection. The four legs 44 of the frames 45 and 4| are arranged closer to the outside periphery of the coil spring 43 than is the outside periphery of the threaded portions of the eye bolts 36 and 42, so that any buckling of the coil spring is limited by the guide portions so that the spring cannot interfere or rub against the threads of the eye bolt so as to injure the threads and interfere with the adjustment of the resilient connection. It will .be noted, on inspection of Fig. 3, that the leg portions 44 are disposed every 90 degrees about the periphery of the coil spring 43 so that no material amount of buckling of this spring can occur in any lateral direction during extension of the resilient connection. With the inturned end portions 52 welded to the Washers 50 and the ends of the eye bolts 35 and 42 peaned over, the connection becomes permanently assembled so that parts thereof cannot readily be lost or subject to theft.

Referring back to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the Well may be arranged With its axis at an angle other than 90 degrees with respect to the plane of the oor Ill. This is particularly desirable when the opening il is arranged above an accessory, such as an air tank 58, indicative of any accessory disposed below the floor of the freight car in such a position that it would interfere with Athe placement of a well having its axis arranged normal to the plane of the floor IU while maintaining proper centers of the well openings |5 or il in the floor lll. A chain 55 or other vehicle-engaging means is connected to the eye bolt 42 and is adapted to be secured to the axle or other desired part of the vehicle to be shipped. By arranging the Well 20 with its axis at an angle other than 90 degrees with respect to the piane of the iloor, the well 25 may have the same capacity for holding the anchoring element 33, the resilient, adjustable connection, including eye bolts 35 and 42, frames 43 and 4l, and the resilient element 43, as well as the vehicle-engaging chain 55. These elements may be lowered within the well 2li when not in use in securing a vehicle in position within a freight car or the like.

In assembling the well 2|) with reference to the licor it of the freight car and in assembling the anchoring element 33, the resilient connection and the vehicle-engaging means 55 with the cover 3| assembled thereto, is rst Welded to the tubular portion of the well 2Q and then this assembly is slipped downwardly through an opening l5 on il. The element 25 acts thus to position the well 20 properly so that the latter may be welded by means of a strapv 2| to the frame member i2 without manually supporting the well 20 while the welds 22 are effected. The vehicle engaging means 55, the adjustable, resilient connection, including the frames 4i! and 4|, the resilient element 43, and the eye bolts 35 and 42, and the anchoring element 33 are then slipped upwardly through the bottom of the tubular portion of the well 25 and the bottom cover plate 23 welded to the bottom of such tubular portion, as indicated at 24. This construction and assembly of the above described elements prevents pilferage or loss of parts of the vehicle hold down means.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 5, in which a slightly modified form of well 25 is disclosed. This Well differs from that indicated at 20 in Fig. 2 in that the Well is enlarged and of oval section in order to maintain the desired capacity of the well but at the same time decreasing its effective vertical height. This type of well construction is employed over axles cr other parts or accessories disposed below the level of the oor It and in alignment with properly centered floor openings i6 and Il. It will be noted that both of these embodiments of wells indicated in Figs. 2 and 5 have a decreased vertical height as compared with a cylindrical well of similar capacity lhaving its axis disposed normally with respect to the plane of the floor Ill. When the vehicle hold-down means is not in use, it is lowered Within a well 25 or 2li' and the cover 3| of such Well closed so that the upper surfaces thereof lie substantially flush With the upper surface of the floor l5. The annular collar member 25 is preferably provided with diametrically opposed grooves 28 through which outwardly projecting lugs 29 formed on anchoring element 33 may pass so that the anchoring element, when desired, may be rotated to maintain it in an elevated position, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 5.

As many changes could be made in the above described construction and many apparently Widely different embodiments of this invention could behad without departing from the spirit thereof, it is intended that any matter concerned in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and no-t in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for anchoring a vehicle to a freight car comprising a pair of U-shaped metal frame members, each having side portions ter-` minating at one end in a joining portion, a second joining portion for the other end of each frame member and in the form of a disc provided with a central opening and with a pair of grooves arranged at diametrically opposite points on said disc with respect to said centralopening for slidably receiving the side portions of the other frame member, a compression spring arranged between the side portions of both frame members and abutting at each end thereof, the inner face of one of said discs, and a pair of attaching members, each rotatably connected to one of the first-named joining portions of one of said frame members, at least one of said attaching members being threadedly connected to one of the joining members for adjusting the effective length of the anchoring apparatus upon rotation of the U-shaped frame members relative to said attaching members and adapted to project through the central opening of the disc of the other frame member with such compression spring in expanded condition.

2. Apparatus for anchoring a vehicle to a freight car comprising a pair of U-shaped frame members each having side portions terminating at one end in a joining portion, a second joining portion for the other end of each frame member and in the form of a disc welded to the side portions of one of said frame members and provided with a central opening, rsaid discs each being provided with grooves arranged at diametrically opposite points with respect to said central openings for slidably receiving the side portions o-f the other frame member, a compression spring disposed between theY side portions of both frame members and abutting at each end thereof the inner faces of one of said discs, and a pair of oppositely threaded attaching members each threadedly connected to one of the first-named joining portions of said frame member.

3. Apparatus for .anchoring a vehicle to a freight car comprising a pair of U-shaped frame members each having side portions terminating n aty one end in a joining portion provided with a threaded aperture extending longitudinally of the frame member, a second joining portion for the other end of each frame member and in the form of a disc welded to inturned end portions provided at the free ends of the side portions of, said frame member, said discs each being provided with a central opening and diametrically opposed grooves for slidably receiving the side portions of the other frame member, a compression spring disposed between the side portions of both frame members and abutting at the ends thereof the inner faces of said discs, and a pair of oppositely threaded attaching members each threadedly engaging the apertures in said first-named joining portions of said frame' members.

4, Apparatus for anchoring a vehicle to a freight car comprising a pair of U-shaped frame members each having side portions terminating at one end in a joining portion provided with a threaded aperture extending longitudinally of the frame member, a second joining portion for the other end of each frame member and in the form of a disc Welded to inturned end portions provided at the free ends of the side portions of said frame member, said discs each being provided with a central opening and diametrically opposed grooves for slidably receiving the side portions of the other frame member, a compression spring disposed between the side portions of both frame members and abutting at the ends thereof the inner faces of said discs, and a pair of oppositely threaded attaching members each provided with a bolt portion threaded through the apertures in said first-named joining portions of said frame members, the inner ends of said bolt portions being headed to prevent disassembly of the attaching members from said frame members.

5. Apparatus for anchoring a vehicle to a freight car comprising a pair of U-shaped frame members, each having side portions terminating in a joining portion, a second joining portion for the other end of each frame member and in the form of a disc Welded to the side portions of one of the frame members, said discs each being provided with a central opening and with diametrically opposed grooves for slidably receiving the side portions of the other frame member, a compression spring disposed between the side portions of both frame members and abutting at each end thereof the inner face of one of said discs, and a pair of oppositely threaded attaching members each threadedly connected to one of the first-mentioned joining portions of said frame members, said spring being spaced farther from said attaching members than from the side portions of said frame members.

SULO M. NAMPA. 

